I have been using my 1229 for years. Recently I have been converting some of my vinyl to digital so I can listen in the car. Yesterday when I tried to play an album (Threshold of a Dream) The arm skid across the disc as if the anti-skate or weight were wildly mis-adjusted. I had used this same 1229 and album just the day before and had no problems. I tried adjusting the various things and had no luck. I looked at the stylus and it looks fine. I had no kids in the house. Any suggestions?

Also examine the Dearing Ring assembly at the base of the tonearm, hopefully it has not cracked (which might create friction on the horizontal arm movement). There are dozens of threads on this topic and you can read up on what it is and determine if yours is at risk or damaged. If it's ok, don't use the single-multi lift lever until the hardened black rubber washer underneath has been replaced.

Steuerpimpel, Control nipple stud, Guide (and sometimes it's not even listed or numbered) -- Whatever name for them is found in the factory Service Manual; old worn and cracked ones can rub tonearms just half-way. Or, not at all. Keep 'em guiding and gliding.

Thanks for the nice informative responses! I looked underneath and saw no broken parts laying on the table. I will take a look underneath and see if I find any broken springs etc. Is there a diagram around so I can identify the components that you are speaking of?

WN9ZUG wrote:Thanks for the nice informative responses! I looked underneath and saw no broken parts laying on the table. I will take a look underneath and see if I find any broken springs etc. Is there a diagram around so I can identify the components that you are speaking of?

Well, I have been snooping around and found no broken springs or cams. I downloaded the service manual and was able to locate the aforementioned possible fail modes. Except maybe the dearing assembly. I lubed up the cam and other contact point with lithium grease. I found that the tonearm will track with the mode switch in "multi" otherwise when it is in single it just skips and dances at will. When it is tracking in the multi mode it sounds pretty bad, kind of like a badly worn stylus. Any further direction O wise sages of the spinning disc?

What about the stylus itself? many styli are a tiny diamond chip bonded to a wire shank which is then glued into the stylus cantilever. if the diamond chip has come off (not uncommon), the arm will appear to skate over the record as you've described.

P.S. I do hope you haven't 'flooded' the mechanism with grease. There's a definite service schedule for one of these precision machines and Dualcan Klaus has it on his site. The tonearm height mechanism needs prompt attention though...

Yes, I did flood it with grease. White lithium in a spray can to be exact. I am going to order up another stylus and see what happens. It sure seems odd that this failure would come on so suddenly. Perhaps I have little centipede diamond miners in my basement that found my audio table.

WN9ZUG wrote:Yes, I did flood it with grease. White lithium in a spray can to be exact. I am going to order up another stylus and see what happens. It sure seems odd that this failure would come on so suddenly. Perhaps I have little centipede diamond miners in my basement that found my audio table.

And now, the mechanism has to be torn down, cleaned, and PROPERLY lubricated.Never, ever, use a "spray" to fix things.

Way to go DSJR. I ordered an AT3600 from da bay and it came in today. I put it on the shell, set up for 2 grams tracking/antiskate and NO MORE TRUBS. Moody Blues, The Tubes, and even the Beach Boys play fine. I am amazed that the stylus failed overnight with no physical abuse. Do you guys think a Shure cartridge would give me appreciatively better sound? Is there a way to donate to this site?

Diamond chips do come off and it happens with fine 'naked' diamonds on exalted moving coil types too (Koetsu and Audio Technica are two ranges I've personally seen this happen with).

The AT you bought likes 1.8g if my Rega Carbon sibling is anything to go by as if you go too heavy, the sound clouds over. Tracking on mine is perfect at 1.8g so no worries there. It's a great cartridge to get you going and for use as a spare, but the 1229 can take so much better...No reason why you shouldn't shell out for an Ortofon 2M Bronze or 2M Black for example, or some of the sub $1000 MC's to be honest as in my opinion the deck and tonearm is potentially that good once properly sorted out *and properly re-lubed - cough*...